Microsoft's next Windows Blue test build said to be a public preview

ZD Net ^ | February 24, 2013 | Mary Jo Foley

[tje]

More rumors about Microsoft's next Windows release, codenamed Blue, are trickling out from Win8China.com, a site known for leaking information about new Windows releases.

Though I cannot corroborate all Win8China's specifics, I'd say based on previous Windows Blue tidbits I've heard, the site's latest Blue information seems largely believable.

In August 2012, I blogged about Microsoft's Windows Blue work, noting that a summer 2013 debut was the internal Microsoft delivery target. On February 24, Win8China claimed that the release-to-manufacturing phase for Windows Blue is supposedly June 7, with retail availability planned for August 2013.

[tje]

Rumors true, but this doesn't appear to be a service pack, but maybe, just maybe MS hasn't figured out that Win8 on a desktop/laptop is that all that great.

[EternalVigilance]

Windows. Blue. Those words together only conjure up one thing.

[Colorado Doug]

BLUE? As in Blue Screen of death?
I wish they would leave it alone! I hate everything since Win XP which I still run on my desk. It’s bad enough having the new crap on my laptops.

[rotstan]

I was going to post the same thing! Epic marketing win for Microsoft!

[Colorado Doug]

LOL! You beat me to it!

But yes, it does conjure only one thing!

[USNBandit]

My office just switched to 7, not really that impressed. I have a special use laptop that I run two, and only two, programs on. Neither of those are Win7 compatible so I spend the day working in a virtual XP instance.

[freedumb2003]

Windows 8, which is as stable as Windows ME, has its own freaking blue screen ‘o death.

But the new one has a frowny face :(

Oh that makes it all better!

(I have it on 2 laptops of completely different manufacturers and and one of them is pretty much top of the line: it sucks on both).

[Chode]

thank you... my first thought exactly

[RegulatorCountry]

A clumsy choice, isn't it? Maybe they're trying to "own" their own derogatory term, like so many protected groups have done? Look for some cutesy revamp of BSOD if so. The Blue Screen Of ... Delight!

[martin_fierro]

Windows Blue

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[dangerdoc]

Maybe they will get rid of Metro. It’s like somebody moving the furniture around in a dark room, I keep bumbing into it when I am trying to get around.

[dangerdoc]

Maybe they will get rid of Metro. It’s like somebody moving the furniture around in a dark room, I keep bumbing into it when I am trying to get around.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Just posted this thread:

Windows Blue could be dubbed Windows 8.1

Guess that implies they have fixed something......